1985 - One of the living 7 Inch Single
"One Of The Living" is a single from the soundtrack album "Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome". This song was written by Holly Knight and produced by Mike Chapman. The song became the intro during the opening credits of the movie. Tina starred in the movie as Aunty Entity, The Queen of Bartertown. Tina has always been a Queen.
Tina was on tour in Europe in 1985 when Roger heard that Tina had to record another song for the movie. Of course "We Don’t Need Another Hero" was already there and had been released and became a huge hit all over the world. Roger contacted Holly Knight to write a new song which was in line with the movie and Tina’s wishes. Here’s the story about Holly Knight, Roger, Tina and the making of "One Of The Living".
Holly Knight
"Even after "Better Be Good To Me" had already been a hit, Tina and I had never met or talked. Roger Davies, her manager called me up one day and told me that Tina had just finished doing a movie in Australia. It was the follow up to the cult classic "Mad Max," and she needed a tune to sing in the movie. So I read the script and wrote "One Of The Living", a post apocalyptic metal cruncher. Roger sent it to Tina who was touring in Europe and she loved it. There was a deadline for the release of the movie that had to be met, so we decided to cut the tune before she got back to LA, and all she would have to do is walk in and sing it. My one problem with this plan was figuring out what key Tina would want to sing the tune in. (This can make or break a vocal performance, so getting it right was very important). Roger suggested I overnight her a cassette with a few versions in different keys, but I wasn’t confident that that would bring a reliable or accurate result – what if her cassette machine was running at a different speed than mine because of the different electrical currents between the two continents, or the batteries ran the machine at a faster or slower speed than mine? So Roger said, "Okay I’m flying to London tomorrow to see her and you’re going to have to come with me."
That’s how I finally met Tina. She showed up at Heathrow Airport with her road manager in a limo, which I thought was unusually nice of her. We figured out the right key the next day in all of five minutes, and Tina invited me to accompany her on her tour for the next week through London, Paris and Switzerland, before I had to head back home to the studio. We stayed in some gorgeous places, ate in some amazing restaurants, went to Azzedine Alia’s studio, (the couture designer) in Paris, I saw her perform night after night from the side of the stage. I never thought being a songwriter would include such awesome "perks". But the best part was just getting to know Tina on an intimate level like this.
"One Of The Living" is one of my favourites that I wrote, and has to go in my top ten list."
Tina performed "One Of The Living" in a few tv/award shows like Countdown and The Canadian Juno Awards. She also included the song in the setlist during the Private Dancer Tour in 1985. Tina shot an official video for "One Of The Living" as well. It premiered at the MTV Awards in 1985. We see Tina walking around with a guitar interspersed with scenes from the "Mad Max" movie. Tina won a Grammy for the song in 1986 for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance.
In the song Tina (Aunt Entity) is singing about surviving. Sometimes you have to fight and kill, but it is better to stick together.
The single was released in different formats and versions. 7" single and 12" single. The song was included on the soundtrack album of "Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome" and much later on "The Platinum Collection". That was the first time the song made it to an album from Tina herself.
The B-side is "One Of The Living" (7" Dub).
There are also a few Remixes of the song. Here’s a list of them.
Album Version – 5.59 min.
7" Remix – 4.10 min.
7" Dub Version - 4.45 min.
12" Special Club Mix - 7.35 min.
12" Dub - 4.56 min.
12" Instrumental - 5.58 min.
Track Listing
"One Of The Living"
Single: One of the living - 1985
In the desert sun
every step that you take could be the final one
in the burning heat
hanging on the edge of destruction
you can't stop the pain of your children
crying out in your head
they always said that the living
would envy the dead
So now you're gonna shoot bullets of fire
don't wanna fight but sometimes you've got to
you're some soul survivor
there's just one thing you've got to know
you've got ten more thousand miles to go
Because you're one of the living
and if we can't stick together
one of the living
who's gonna make it tonight
Walk tall, cool, collected and savage
walk tall, bruised, sensual, ravaged
it's every man for himself, every woman, every child
a need breed, ferocious and wild
And all they want to do is shoot bullets of fire
they wanna fight and sometimes you've got to
you're some soul survivor
there's just one thing you got to know
you've got ten more thousand years to go
because you're one of the living
and if we can't stick together
one of the living
who's gonna make it tonight
"One of the living" (7" Dub) - 4.56 min.
Released: 1985
Genre: Rock
Length: 4.10 min.
Label: Capitol
Writers: "One Of The Living (Edit)" - H.Knight
"One Of The Living (7’’ Dub)"- H. Knight
Producer: Mike Chapman
Chart Positions (1985)
Australia (Kent Music Report) - 34
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40) - 12
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders) - 7
Canada Top Singles (RPM) - 18
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista) - 9
Germany (Official German Charts) - 6
Ireland (IRMA) - 15
Italy (Hit Parade Italia) - 49
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40) - 10
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) - 24
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) - 9
UK Singles (Official Charts Company) - 55
US Billboard Hot 100 - 15
US Dance Club Songs (Billboard) - 6
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard) - 41
1975 - Under my thumb
1975 - Whole lotta love
1976 - Acid Queen
1978 - Root Toot Undisputable Rock 'n Roller
1978 - Viva la money
1978 - Sometimes When We Touch
1979 - Fruits of the Night
1979 - Music keeps me dancin'
1979 - Backstabbers
1980 - Are you breaking my heart
1982 - Ball of confusion
1983 - Lets Stay Together
1984 - Help
1984 - What's love got to do with it?
1984 - Better be good to me
1984 - Private Dancer
1984 - I can't stand the rain
1985 - Show some respect
1985 - We don't need another hero - Mad Max
1985 - One of the living
1985 - It's only love - with Bryan Adams
1986 - Typical Male
1986 - Back where you started
1986 - Two People
1987 - Girls
1987 - What you get is what you see
1987 - Break every rule
1987 - Paradise is here - Special Edition
1987 - Tearing us apart - with Eric Clapton
1988 - Nutbush City Limits
1988 - Tonight Live - with David Bowie
1988 - Addicted to love
1988 - A change is gonna come
1989 - The Best
1989 - I don't wanna lose you
1989 - 6345789 - with Robert Cray
1990 - Steamy Windows
1990 - Foreign Affair
1990 - Look Me in the Heart
1990 - Be Tender With Me Baby
1990 - It takes Two - with Rod Stewart
1991 - Nutbush City Limits
1991 - Way of the world
1991 - I want you near me
1991 - Love Thing
1993 - I don't wanna fight
1993 - Disco Inferno
1993 - Why must we wait until tonight?
1993 - Proud Mary
1995 - Goldeneye
1996 - On silent wings
1996 - Whatever you want
1997 - Cose della vita - with Eros Ramazzotti
